Application progress of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignancy with high morbidity and poor prognosis. Symptoms of early esophageal cancer are insidious and difficult to detect, while advanced esophageal obstruction, lesion infiltration and metastasis seriously affect patients’ quality of life. Early detection and treatment can help to increase the survival chance of patients. Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has shown remarkable success in diagnosis of esophageal cancer, highlighting the great potential of new AI-assisted diagnostic modalities. This paper aims to review recent progress of AI in the diagnosis of esophageal cancer and to prospect its clinical application.

Interpretation of the updates of the NCCN esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers clinical practice guidelines in oncology (version 3. 2023) / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. On August 29, 2023, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) released the NCCN esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancers clinical practice guidelines in oncology (version 3. 2023). This article aims to highlight the key updates in treatment and follow-up recommendations between the version 3 and the version 2 in 2023, providing the latest guidance for the management of esophageal cancer in our country.

Chinese Medicine Regulates Signaling Pathways Related to Esophageal Cancer： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Esophageal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract. At present， the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer has not been fully clarified. Although surgery， radiotherapy， chemotherapy， targeted therapy， and immunotherapy have achieved good clinical results in the treatment of esophageal cancer， there are still many complications and severe adverse reactions. As an important part of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， in recent years， many basic experiments and clinical studies have proved that Chinese medicine has a good effect in treating esophageal cancer. At the same time， the multi-component and multi-target characteristics of Chinese medicine and unclear pathogenesis of esophageal cancer determine that there are some problems such as unclear mechanisms of Chinese medicine in preventing and treating esophageal cancer. It is necessary to start with modern medicine and reveal the mechanism of Chinese medicine in preventing and treating diseases from the aspects of molecular biology and network pharmacology. It is believed in TCM that the occurrence of esophageal cancer is mostly attributed to stagnation of liver Qi， phlegm stasis and Qi stagnation， fluid consumption and heat accumulation， the decline of healthy Qi， and the cementation of cancer toxicity. According to the literature review， Chinese medicinal compounds mainly include tonic formulae （such as Liu Junzitang）， drying and moistening formulas （such as Qigesan）， and heat-clearing formulas （such as Fufang Kushen injection）. Chinese medicinal monomers mainly include drugs potent in attacking poison and killing insects， clearing heat， activating blood and resolving stasis， and regulating Qi， which is consistent with the etiology and pathogenesis of esophageal cancer in TCM. It is also found that Chinese medicine can promote cell apoptosis and autophagy， block cell cycle， and reverse cell resistance by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， neurogenic locus notch homolog protein （Notch）， Wnt/β-catenin， mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （JAK2/STAT3）， and other related signaling pathways， but there is no systematic summary. This study systematically summarized the relevant signaling pathways of Chinese medicine in regulating esophageal cancer， which is helpful to clarify the relevant mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the process of esophageal cancer occurrence， development， invasion， and metastasis， so as to provide new targets and new perspectives for the treatment of esophageal cancer and promote the modernization of TCM.

Role of NF-κB Signaling Pathway in "Reflux Esophagitis-esophageal Cancer" and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention：A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Reflux esophagitis is an inflammatory disease of esophageal mucosa damage caused by the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. Its incidence is on the rise， and it has become an important precancerous disease of esophageal cancer. Studies have shown that the continuous inflammatory response stimulates the esophageal mucosa， causing abnormal proliferation of esophageal epithelial cells and damage to esophageal mucosal tissue， which eventually leads to the occurrence of heterogeneous hyperplasia and even carcinogenesis. The nuclear transcription factor-kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway is one of the most classical inflammatory and cancer signaling pathways. It has been found that abnormal activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway is crucial to the development and prognosis of reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer. It is widely involved in the proliferation， autophagy， apoptosis， and inflammatory response of esophageal epithelial cells and tumor cells， accelerating the transformation of reflux esophagitis to esophageal cancer and making it a potential target for the treatment of reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer. Currently， there is no specific treatment for reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer， and large side effects often appear. Therefore， finding a promising and safe drug remains a top priority. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine scholars have conducted a lot of research on NF-κB signaling pathway， and the results indicate that NF-κB signaling pathway is an important potential target for traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and treat reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer， but there is a lack of comprehensive and systematic elaboration. Therefore， this paper summarized the relevant studies in recent years， analyzed the relationship among NF-κB signaling pathway， reflux esophagitis， esophageal cancer， and transformation from inflammation to cancer， and reviewed the research literature on the regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway in traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and treat reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer， so as to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of reflux esophagitis and esophageal cancer.

Research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine intervening in esophageal cancer by microRNA regulation / 中国药房

Esophageal cancer （EC） is a common malignant tumor of the digestive system with an extremely poor prognosis. MicroRNA （miRNA） is an important regulator in tumor occurrence and development， and can participate in malignant biological behaviors such as tumor cell proliferation， invasion， metastasis and apoptosis. Traditional Chinese medicine has the characteristics of accurate curative effects， wide range of effects， and few side effects. The review uses miRNA as the entry point to systematically elaborate on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine-mediated miRNA intervening in EC. The results showed that active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine （including curcumin， Tussilago farfara polysaccharides， Atractylodes macrocephala polysaccharides and ophiopogonin B） and Dougen guanshitong oral liquid could up-regulate the expressions of miRNAs such as miRNA-532-3p （miR-532-3p）， miR-551b-3p， miR-99a， miR-34a， miR-199a-3p and miR-377； and the active ingredients/parts of traditional Chinese medicine （including chrysin and Actinidia arguta extract）， and Chinese herbal formulas （including Chaihu shugan san combined with Xuanfu daizhe decoction and Modified jupi zhuru decoction） could down-regulate the expressions of miRNAs such as miR-199a-3p， miR-451 and miR-21， which could regulate the expressions of signaling pathways （phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B， etc.） or their downstream protein（zinc-finger and homeobox protein 1， etc.） or enzymes（thymidine kinase-1， etc.）， inhibit the proliferation， invasion and metastasis of EC cells and induce apoptosis， thereby ultimately achieving the purpose of preventing the disease from aggravating.

Comparison of the Recent Efficacy of Robot-assisted and Thoracic Laparoscopic Minimally Invasive Mckeown Radical Resection of Esophageal Cancer based on Propensity Score Matching / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo explore the safety and efficacy of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy （robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy， RAMIE） and thoracic laparoscopy combined with minimally invasive esophageal resection （minimal invasive esophagectomy， MIE）. MethodsThe data of 188 patients treated with Da Vinci robot assisted minimally invasive esophageal resection （RAMIE） from April 2021 to December 2022 were analyzed. In the RAMIE group， 69 patients， 49 males and 20 female， age （67.2 ± 7.2）； 119 in the MIME group， respectively， 89 males and 30 female， age （69.1 ± 7.0）. At 1 ∶ 1， including 58 patients in the RAMIE group and 58 patients in the MIE group. The t-test， Wilcoxon rank-sum test， χ2 test， and so on. ResultsAfter PSM treatment， the clinical data between the two groups. There was no significant difference in operation time， postoperative tube days， and total number of lymph node dissection between the RAMIE and MIE groups （P <0.05）； the RAMIE group was better in terms of intraoperative bleeding and the MIE group， statistically significant （P <0.05）； the MIE group was better in drainage flow and lymph node dissection for three days （P <0.05）. In terms of postoperative complications， there was no statistical difference between RAMIE and MIE groups （P>0.05）. ConclusionThe recent efficacy of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy is comparable to that of thoracic laparoscopy and minimally invasive Mckeown esophagectomy； robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy can reduce intraoperative bleeding and have more advantages in left recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node dissection.

Diagnosis and treatment pathway of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for esophageal cancer in Henan province / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Esophageal cancer is a highly prevalent tumor species in Henan province, which brings heavy medical burden to families and society. Surgical treatment plays a dominant role in the treatment of non-advanced esophageal cancer. However, cancer cells in esophageal cancer lesions are highly invasive, postoperative recurrence and metastasis rates are pretty high. More effective systemic and comprehensive treatment is urgently needed to improve the prognosis. We invited 52 doctors in esophageal surgery, oncology, pathology, imaging, and radiation therapy of 32 hospitals at all levels in Henan province, to repeatedly negotiate and fully discuss in combination with evidence and clinical practice experience. Finally, “diagnosis and treatment pathway of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for esophageal cancer in Henan province” was formulated. In this treatment pathway, seven recommendations were proposed from seven perspectives including target population, patient evaluation, protocol selection, surgical timing, postoperative management, organ preservation, and general principles to offer reference for medical personnel related to esophageal cancer surgery.

Take A Calm View on Heat Wave of Organ Preservation in Esophageal Cancer Treatment / 肿瘤防治研究

The esophagus plays an extremely important physiological function in human body, and esophageal cancer is a highly lethal disease among all the malignancies. Esophagectomy is still the main treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Ensuring the efficacy of oncology plays a crucial role in exploring organ preservation in the treatment of esophageal cancer. We should always be aware of the inherent difficulties and potential harms of organ preservation for esophageal cancer treatment and seek a personalized and reasonable balance between ensuring cure and preserving organs, provide the best treatment design for esophageal cancer patients, to achieve maximum therapeutic effect without sacrificing the life quality of patients.

Self-expanding Metal Stents in Malignant Obstruction of the Esophagus: A 25-Year Multicentric Study

Background: Self-expanding metal prostheses improve dysphagia in patients with incurable esophageal cancer (EC). New stents have been introduced, and chemoradiotherapy has been implemented for EC, changing patients' risk profiles. It is unknown whether this has affected palliation with stents. Patients and methods: Retrospective study in three centers in Medellín-Colombia; patients undergoing placement of palliative esophageal prostheses for malignant dysphagia (1997-2022). Major and minor complications after implantation, the influence of oncological therapies, and survival were evaluated for 1997-2009 (n = 289) and 2010-2022 (n = 318). Results: 607 patients underwent esophageal prostheses; 296 (48.8%) became complicated. It was higher in the second period (52.5% vs. 48.1%), as were major complications (20.8% vs. 14.2%, p = 0.033), with no differences in minor complications (33.9% vs 31.8%, p = 0.765). Also, 190 (31.3%) patients presented with recurrent dysphagia, stable in both periods. Migration increased over time (from 13.1% to 18.2%, p = 0.09). The most common minor adverse event was pain, increasing over time (from 24.9% to 33.95%, p < 0.01), and associated factors were chemoradiotherapy, absence of fistula, and squamous cell carcinoma. Acid reflux decreased in the second group (p = 0.038). Twelve percent of patients required another intervention for feeding. Survival was not impacted by time and use of stents. Conclusions: Stents are an alternative in non-surgical malignant dysphagia, although recurrent dysphagia has not decreased over time. Minor stent-related complications are increasing in association with the implementation of chemoradiotherapy.

Antecedentes: Las prótesis metálicas autoexpandibles mejoran la disfagia en pacientes con cáncer esofágico (CE) incurable. En las últimas décadas se han introducido nuevos tipos de stents y se ha implementado la quimiorradioterapia para el CE, generando cambios en los perfiles de riesgo de los pacientes. Se desconoce si estos cambios han afectado la paliación con stents. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo en tres centros de Medellín-Colombia; pacientes sometidos a colocación de prótesis esofágicas paliativas para disfagia maligna (1997-2022). Se evaluaron en dos períodos: 1997-2009 (n = 289) y 2010-2022 (n = 318), complicaciones mayores y menores después del implante, la influencia de las terapias oncológicas y la sobrevida. Resultados: Se evaluaron 607 pacientes sometidos a prótesis esofágicas. 296 (48,8%) se complicaron, y fue mayor en el segundo periodo (52,5% frente a 48,1%), al igual que las complicaciones mayores (20,8% frente a 14,2%, p = 0,033), sin diferencias en complicaciones menores (33,9% frente a 31,8%, p = 0,765). 190 (31,3%) pacientes presentaron disfagia recurrente, estable en ambos períodos. La migración aumentó con el tiempo (de 13,1% a 18,2%, p = 0,09). El evento adverso menor más frecuente fue dolor, que aumentó con el tiempo (de 24,9% a 33,95%, p < 0,01), y los factores asociados fueron quimiorradioterapia, ausencia de fístula y carcinoma de células escamosas. El reflujo ácido disminuyó en el segundo grupo (p = 0,038). El 12% de pacientes requirieron otra intervención para alimentarse. No se impactó la sobrevida con el tiempo y uso de stents. Conclusiones: Los stents son una alternativa en la disfagia maligna no quirúrgica, aunque la disfagia recurrente no ha disminuido con el tiempo. Las complicaciones menores relacionadas con el stent van en aumento, asociadas a la implementación de la quimiorradioterapia.

Morbilidad y mortalidad de pacientes operados de cáncer de esófago / Morbidity and Mortality of Patients Operated on for Esophageal Cancer

Introducción: El tratamiento principal del cáncer esofágico es la esofagectomía. Objetivo: Determinar la morbilidad y mortalidad de los pacientes operados de cáncer esofágico. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal en 87 pacientes operados de cáncer esofágico en el Servicio de Cirugía General del Hospital Provincial Docente Saturnino Lora de Santiago de Cuba durante el período comprendido de 2014 a 2018. Resultados: Dos pacientes en estadio II (100,0 por ciento) recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico curativo y 12 en estadio III (17,9 por ciento). Recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico paliativo 55 (82,1 por ciento) enfermos en estadio III y 18 (100,0 por ciento) en estadio IV. Predominó la técnica transhiatal de Denk-Sloan-Orringer aplicada en 10 (71,4 por ciento) pacientes. La gastrostomía predominó como proceder paliativo para alimentación en 53 (76,2 por ciento) pacientes. Se reportaron 45 complicaciones; el 53,3 por ciento de tipo médica, en las que prevalecieron las respiratorias: bronconeumonía (13,3 por ciento) y distrés respiratorio (11,1 por ciento). En cambio, el 46,7 por ciento de las complicaciones fueron de tipo quirúrgicas: infección del sitio operatorio (20,0 por ciento), seguida de la fuga anastomótica (15,6 por ciento). Fallecieron 16 (18,4 por ciento) pacientes del total de la serie. Las causas de muerte predominantes fueron el distrés respiratorio (31,3 por ciento) y la disfunción múltiple de órganos (25,0 por ciento). Conclusiones: La esofagectomía abierta o mínimamente invasiva se erige como el tratamiento quirúrgico de elección para el tratamiento del cáncer esofágico con intención curativa, proceder con elevada morbilidad y mortalidad a escala mundial. Los resultados de esta investigación coinciden con los reportados en la literatura médica nacional y extranjera(AU)

Introduction: The main treatment for esophageal cancer is esophagectomy. Objective: To determine the morbidity and mortality of patients operated on for esophageal cancer. Methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with 87 patients operated on for esophageal cancer in the general surgery service of Hospital Provincial Docente Saturnino Lora, of Santiago de Cuba, during the period from 2014 to 2018. Results: Curative surgical treatment was received by 2 patients (100.0 percent) in stage II and 12 patients (17.9 percent) in stage III. Palliative surgical treatment was received by 55 ill patients (82.1 percent) in stage III and 18 ill patients (100.0 percent) in stage IV. There was a predominance of the Denk-Sloan-Orringer transhiatal technique, applied in 10 (71.4 percent) patients. Gastrostomy predominated in 53 (76.2 percent) patients as a palliative procedure for feeding. Forty-five complications were reported, 53.3 percent of which were medical, with respiratory complications prevailing: bronchopneumonia (13.3 percent) and respiratory distress (11.1 percent). On the other hand, 46.7 percent of the complications were surgical: surgical site infection (20.0 percent), followed by anastomotic leak (15.6 percent). Out of the total series, 16 (18.4 percent) patients died. The predominant causes of death were respiratory distress (31.3 percent) and multiple organ dysfunction (25.0 percent). Conclusions: Open or minimally invasive esophagectomy stands out as the surgical treatment of choice for esophageal cancer with curative purposes, being a procedure with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The results of this research coincide with those reported in the national and foreign medical literature(AU)

Correlation Between Peripheral Blood Biomarkers and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Treatment of Advanced Esophageal Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To explore the effect of peripheral blood markers on the efficacy and prognosis of patients with advanced esophageal cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Methods The case data of 61 patients with advanced esophageal cancer who met the inclusion criteria were collected. Data on clinical indicators and peripheral blood markers as well as objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free-survival (PFS) were obtained. Results The median PFS of the included patients was 7.10 months (95%CI: 5.12-9.07). The ORR of patients with baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) < 201 was better than that of patients with LDH≥201 (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that baseline LDH0 < 201, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) < 3.9, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) < 240.3, and LDH1 < 249.0 two weeks after ICI treatment were significantly associated with significant improvement in PFS (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, patients with NLR0 < 3.9 had longer PFS (P < 0.05). Conclusion LDH0 < 201, NLR0 < 3.9, PLR0 < 240.3, and LDH1 < 249.0 are positively correlated with the prognosis of patients with advanced esophageal cancer treated with ICIs.

Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 antibody for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the real world / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody in operable, borderline or potentially resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) in the real world. Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 28 patients with operable or potentially resectable locally advanced ESCC patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy combined with PD-1 inhibitor in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from April 2020 to March 2021. According to the clinical TNM staging system of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer, there were 1, 15, 10, 1 and 1 case of stage Ⅱ, Ⅲ, ⅣA, ⅣB and unknown stage respectively. The treatment was two cycle of dual drug chemotherapy regimen including taxane plus platinum or fluorouracil combined with PD-1 antibody followed by tumor response assessment and surgery if the patient was eligible for resection. Results: Of the 28 patients, 1, 2, 3 and 4 cycles of chemotherapy combined with PD-1 antibody treatment completed in 1, 21, 5, and 1 patient, respectively. Objective response rate (ORR) was 71.4% (20/28), and disease control rate (DCR) was 100% (28/28). The incidence of adverse events exceeding grade 3 levels was 21.4% (6/28), including 3 neutropenia, 1 leukopenia, 1 thrombocytopenia and 1 immune hepatitis. There was no treatment-related death. Of the 23 patients underwent surgery, R0 resection rate was 87.0% (20/23), 13 patients had down staged to the T1-2N0M0 I stage, the pCR rate was 17.3% (4/23), and the pCR rate of primary tumor was 21.7% (5/23). Four patients received definitive chemoradiotherapy. One patient rejected surgery and other treatment after achieved PR response. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined PD-1 inhibitor is safe and has high efficacy in operable, borderline or potentially resectable locally advanced ESCC, and it is a promising regimen.

Analysis of Significant Genes and Pathways in Esophageal Cancer Based on Gene Expression Omnibus Database / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To screen antigen targets for immunotherapy by analyzing over-expressed genes, and to identify significant pathways and molecular mechanisms in esophageal cancer by using bioinformatic methods such as enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and survival analysis based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.Methods By screening with highly expressed genes, we mainly analyzed proteins MUC13 and EPCAM with transmembrane domain and antigen epitope from TMHMM and IEDB websites. Significant genes and pathways associated with the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer were identified using enrichment analysis, PPI network, and survival analysis. Several software and platforms including Prism 8, R language, Cytoscape, DAVID, STRING, and GEPIA platform were used in the search and/or figure creation.Results Genes MUC13 and EPCAM were over-expressed with several antigen epitopes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue. Enrichment analysis revealed that the process of keratinization was focused and a series of genes were related with the development of esophageal cancer. Four genes including ALDH3A1, C2, SLC6A1,and ZBTB7C were screened with significant P value of survival curve.Conclusions Genes MUC13 and EPCAM may be promising antigen targets or biomarkers for esophageal cancer. Keratinization may greatly impact the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. Genes ALDH3A1, C2, SLC6A1,and ZBTB7C may play important roles in the development of esophageal cancer.

Risk factors and prediction model of postoperative atrial fibrillation surgery after esophageal cancer surgery / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To develop a risk prediction lineogram of neooperative atrial fibrillation in patients with esophageal cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 1 509 patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery admitted to the department of esophageal surgery of our hospital from December 2019 to April 2022 were gathered, and they were divided into two layers according to whether they had new atrial fibrillation after surgery. In each layer, they were randomly divided into training set and test set in a ratio of 7∶3. In the training population, the multi-factor logistic regression method was used to establish the prediction model, and the line graph of the prediction model was drawn. The ROC curve and calibration curve were drawn to assess the differentiation ability and calibration ability of the prediction model. The test set population is used to validate the prediction model. Results:A total of 1 509 patients with esophageal cancer were included in the study, and the incidence of new atrial fibrillation after surgery was 247 patients(16.4%). A total of 1 039 patients(68.9%) were enrolled in the training set. The multivariate logistic regression model indicated that age, gender, BMI, pulmonary infection, the use of invasive ventilator, and the need for additional drainage of fluid accumulation were the influencing factors for new postoperative atrial fibrillation. The AUC of the training set prediction model under ROC curve was 0.775(95% CI: 0.737-0.812, P<0.001), indicating that the model has high predictive discrimination ability. Calibration curve and Hosmer- Lemeshow test results P=0.796, indicating that the model has good consistency of prediction ability. There were 470 subjects(31.1%) in the test set. The results showed that the AUC of the prediction model under the ROC curve was 0.773(95% CI: 0.719-0.826, P<0.001), indicating that the prediction model still has a high discriminative ability in the test set population. Conclusion:Patients with age, gender, BMI, pulmonary infection, the use of invasive ventilator, and the need for additional drainage of effusion are at higher risk of new atrial fibrillation after surgery. The timely prediction, prevention and management of POAF are crucial to improve the prognostic quality of postoperative patients with esophageal cancer by constructing clinical prediction models.

Clinical application of Ivor-Lewis procedure under uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy for esophageal cancer / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety and feasibility of Ivor-Lewis procedure under uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy(VATS) for esophageal cancer and Siewert type I esophago-gastric junction carcinoma.Methods:The patients with middle-lower segment esophageal cancer or Siewert type I esophago-gastric junction carcinoma received minimally invasive esophagectomy between October 2020 and June 2021, and the clinical data was collected and analyzed.Results:26 patients received Ivor-Lewis procedure underwent uniportal VATS, while 45 patients underwent McKeown surgery under multiport VATS. The average operation time of patients in the two groups were(265±110)min and (235±94)min, and the average intraoperative blood loss were(80±57)ml and(105±60)ml. The mean number of lymph nodes removed in the surgery were (19.3±2.9) and 18.6±2.7 respectively in two groups, and the mean length of hospital stay was(7.5±3.5)days and(8.3±2.7)days. The incidence of perioperative complications were not significantly different in two groups. The VAS score of patients received Ivor-Lewis procedure underwent uniportal VATS was lower than that of patients received McKeown surgery in ostoperative day 1, day 3, day 7 and 1 month. The difference was statistically significant in two groups( P<0.05). Conclusion:The Ivor-Lewis procedure under uniportal VATS for esophageal cancer and Siewert type I esophago-gastric junction carcinoma has the advantage of less postoperative pain, and the procedure is feasible in clinical practice.

Preliminary study on the process and prognosis of 55 cases of esophageal stricture after circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection / 中华消化杂志

Objective:To investigate the characteristics, process, and prognosis of esophageal stricture after circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), and to preliminarily analyze the prevention and treatment effects of simple dilation, stent placement, mucosal transplantation, and glucocorticoid (hereinafter referred to as hormone) application in esophageal stricture.Methods:From August 2017 to March 2022, at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, the clinical and follow-up data of 55 patients who underwent circumferential ESD for early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions were retrospectively analyzed. According to the prevention and treatment methods for esophageal stricture, the patients were divided into two groups: simple dilation group (23 cases) and combined dilation group (32 cases). The combined dilation group was divided into mucosal transplantation subgroup (9 cases), stent placement subgroup (14 cases), hormone application subgroup (7 cases), and bleomycin subgroup (2 cases, excluded from comparative analysis due to limited cases). Overall prognosis of patients was observed. Treatment efficacy, prognosis, and adverse events were compared among the simple dilation group, mucosal transplantation subgroup, stent placement subgroup, and hormone application subgroup. Independent samples t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher′s exact test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among the 55 patients, the follow-up time was (894.1±417.7) days. Refractory esophageal stricture (total dilation times ≥ 5) occurred in 33 patients (60.0%). Fifty-two patients (94.5%) achieved clinical remission of the stricture. The total number of dilations was 5.8±4.0, and the average dysphagia-free period was (52.3±37.1) days. The dysphagia-free period of mucosal transplantation subgroup was longer than that of the simple dilation group, stent placement subgroup, and hormone application subgroup ((114.5±50.0) days vs. (40.9±20.0), (39.7±10.0), and (40.9±25.5) days, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=4.82, 3.77 and 3.14, P<0.001, =0.011, =0.009). There were no statistically significant differences between the simple dilation group and the mucosal transplantation subgroup, stent placement subgroup, and hormone application subgroup in the total number of dilations (6.8±4.8 vs. 3.0±2.5, 5.8±2.2, and 5.7±5.0), stricture remission rate (95.7%, 22/23 vs. 8/9, 13/14, and 7/7), and incidence of adverse events (17.4%, 4/23 vs. 5/9, 5/14, and 2/7; all P>0.05). Conclusions:Esophageal stricture formed after circumferential ESD shows the characteristics of recurrence and intractability. The over all number of dilations is high, and the average dysphagia-free period is short. Most patients can achieve clinical remission of the stricture after multiple times of endoscopic dilation treatment. However mucosal transplantation, stent placement, and hormone application cannot well intervene the natural process of esophageal stricture.

Update and interpretation of Elsevier clinical pathway for gastric, gastroesophageal junction and esophageal cancer ( Chinese edition, 2022) / 中华消化杂志

The standardized treatment of malignant tumor has always been the direction of continuous improvement of major medical institutions. In recent years, the basic research, prevention, screening and diagnosis and treatment level of gastric, gastroesophageal junction and esophageal cancer have been greatly improved, resulting in a significant improvement in the 5 years′ survival rate of patients, but there are still great differences in the diagnosis and treatment level among different regions. Chinese gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer and esophageal cancer differ greatly from European and American countries in etiology, pathological types, high incidence sites, etc. Therefore, the relevant guidelines of European and American countries cannot fully meet Chinese clinical practice. In 2021, Elsevier Publishing Group launched the Chinese edition of Elsevier clinical pathway for gastric, gastroesophageal junction and esophageal cancer, and the first update edition was made in 2022, which aims to promote the quality control of tumor diagnosis and treatment, standardize tumor diagnosis and treatment behaviors, promote the homogenization and standardization of tumor diagnosis and treatment, and ultimately improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients with malignant tumor. This pathway refers to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines, the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines, combines evidence-based medicine and clinical experience, and follows the scientific, universal, standardized and operable principles. It has been promoted and applied in clinical practice, and is constantly updated according to the latest research results.

Consistency between iodine-unstained area and tumor pathological size of endoscopic submucosal dissection specimen in superficial esophageal cancer / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To investigate the consistency between the iodine-unstained area and the pathological size of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens of superficial esophageal cancer.Methods:A retrospective study was performed on data of 32 patients with superficial esophageal cancer who accepted ESD from May 2019 to April 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. The maximum transverse diameter and maximum longitudinal diameter of the iodine-unstained area were compared with the tumor pathological area. A size difference no more than 0.5 cm was considered as conformity, any difference between 0.5 and 1.0 cm was considered as non-conformity, and any difference no less than 1.0 cm was considered as serious non-conformity. At the same time, pink sign after spraying Lugo solution and the consistency of pink sign area with the iodine free area were observed.Results:A total of 32 patients with 33 lesions were enrolled in this study, including 23 males and 9 females and the age of the patients was 59.5±7.3 years. There were 19 (57.6%) lesions whose size of iodine-unstained area was consistent with the tumor pathological area. These 19 lesions were all positive for the pink sign, and the pink sign area overlapped with the iodine-unstained area. In addition, 4 (12.1%) iodine-unstained areas of the lesions did not match the size of the pathological area, and 10 (30.3%) iodine-unstained areas of the lesions were seriously inconsistent with the size of the pathological area. These 14 (42.4%) lesions were all positive for pink sign, and the pink sign area was significantly smaller than the iodine-unstained area. Among the 14 discordant lesions, 2 lesions underwent ESD according to the iodine-unstained area, which resulted in excessive resection and postoperative stenosis.Conclusion:Determining the extent of superficial esophageal cancer by iodine-unstained areas before ESD may lead to excessive resection of the lesions, which is related to the fact that the iodine-unstained areas of the lesions are sometimes significantly larger than the pink sign areas. Therefore, in order to achieve precise treatment, endoscopists can choose the iodine-unstained area with positive pink sign as the first choice for resection.

Macroscopic Clinical Medication Pattern of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Esophageal Cancer in Recent Ten Years Based on Data Mining / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the macroscopic medication pattern of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in treating esophageal cancer （EC） and provide medication references for the clinical application of TCM in EC treatment. MethodRelevant literature on TCM treatment of EC was retrieved from three major Chinese databases： China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang Data， and VIP. Information about Chinese herbal medicines was entered into Excel to establish a prescription database for EC. The data were standardized， summarized， and subjected to frequency analysis， association rules， and cluster analysis of medication in the prescriptions. Based on the TCM classification of EC syndromes， clinical indications corresponding to each syndrome were identified， and high-frequency drugs and drug pairs were analyzed correspondingly with syndromes. ResultA total of 136 prescriptions containing 240 Chinese herbal medicines were screened， with a cumulative frequency of 1 853 times. The top 5 frequently used Chinese herbal medicines were Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma， Poria， Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma， Astragali Radix， and Pinelliae Rhizoma. In terms of functions， the Chinese herbal medicines were mainly deficiency-tonifying， urination-promoting and dampness-draining， deficiency-tonifying， deficiency-tonifying， and phlegm-resolving and cough and dyspnea-relieving ones. The statistical analysis of flavor， property， and meridian tropism showed that Chinese herbal medicines were mainly bitter and sweet， warm， cold， and neutral， and acted on the spleen， lung， and stomach meridians. Association rule analysis yielded nine potential drug combinations， and cluster analysis of high-frequency drugs resulted in four combination categories. The four TCM syndromes for EC corresponded to respective clinical indications， treatment drugs， and drug pairs. ConclusionTonifying deficiency， reinforcing healthy Qi， descending adverse Qi， resolving phlegm， activating blood， and resolving stasis are the basic principles of TCM treatment for EC， which are supplemented by clearing heat and dissipating mass while focusing on regulating and smoothing the qi movement. The drug combinations obtained from high-frequency drug and association rule analysis provide references for different TCM syndrome treatments of EC， offering valuable insights for clinical medication.

Effect of miR-524-5p on Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in Esophageal Cancer Cells by Regulating HEG1 Expression / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the mechanism and the effect of miR-524-5p regulating HEG1 expression on the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of esophageal cancer cells. Methods The expression levels of miR-524-5p and HEG1 mRNA in esophageal cancer cells and normal esophageal epithelial cells were detected by qRT-PCR. KYSE30 cells were divided into miR-524-5p mimic group, miR-524-5p NC group, miR-524-5p mimic+pcDNA3.1 group, and miR-524-5p mimic+pcDNA3.1-HEG1 group. Non-transfected cells were set as the normal control group (group Control). CCK-8 method was applied to detect the proliferation ability of KYSE30 cells. Western blot analysis was conducted to detect the expression of proteins related to EMT, invasion, and migration and the HEG1 protein. Scratch and Transwell assays were applied to detect the migration and invasion abilities of KYSE30 cells. A dual-luciferase reporter gene was used to examine the targeting relationship between miR-524-5p and HEG1. Results miR-524-5p was lowly expressed in four esophageal cancer cell lines, namely, TE-1, KYSE30, KYSE150, and NEC (P < 0.05). KYSE30 cells with the lowest expression level were selected for subsequent experiments. HEG1 mRNA was highly expressed in four esophageal cancer cell lines (P < 0.05). The GEPIA database showed that HEG1 was highly expressed in esophageal cancer tumor tissues (P < 0.05). KYSE30 cells in the miR-524-5p mimic group had lower proliferation ability, colony formation number, mesenchymal marker protein expression, and migration and invasion abilities and upregulated epithelial marker protein E-cadherin level than cells in the miR-524-5p NC group (P < 0.05). The miR-524-5p mimic+pcDNA3.1-HEG1 group significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of overexpression of miR-524-5p on the proliferation, epithelial–mesenchymal transformation, invasion, and metastasis of KYSE30 cells (P < 0.05). The luciferase activity of cells in the miR-524-5p mimic and WT-HEG1 co-transfection groups was lower than that in the miR-524-5p NC and WT-HEG1 co-transfection groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion miR-524-5p is lowly expressed in EC cells and tissues. The overexpression of miR-524-5p can negatively regulate the expression of HEG1 in esophageal cancer cell line (KYSE30 cells) and reduce the proliferation, EMT process, and invasion and migration abilities of KYSE30 cells.